1. Field of the Invention
A socket assembly to support and release a backpack.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art
Combat soldiers typically wear a light web-belt to carry often used items such as water-bottles, ammunition, and side-arms. The civilian equivalent to this is the "fanny-pack" popular with day hikers. Both soldiers and hikers, however, have difficulty wearing these light web belts when also wearing a heavy field backpack. Large load bearing backpacks use a substantial waist-belt to distribute the heavy load of the pack from the shoulders out over the wearer's hips. This waist-belt interferes with the web belt if both are worn at the same time. At best, it is inconvenient to move items from the light web belt to the heavy waist belt or visa versa depending on the moment's need. Combat soldiers and serious mountain climbers have the added concern of being able to quickly drop their large backpacks if suddenly threatened by enemy fire or natural dangers such as avalanches. If essentials such as ammunition and survival gear are on the backpack waist-belt they would be lost just when most needed.
The parent application addressed the problem of quick removal of a backpack from a waist belt. That disclosure teaches a backpack frame with a depending probe. The waist belt carried a socket. The socket extends outwardly from the belt approximately 2 inches. After donning the backpack the probe seats in the socket. If the backpack must be quickly disengaged, the straps holding the backpack to the soldiers body are released, the backpack rotates rearwardly and disengages. In field conditions, it was found that donning of the backpack was not as quickly effected as desired. The weight distribution of the backpack across the waist belt was not completely uniform and in some instances, the lateral movement of the backpack in the socket was a little loose.